Overview
- Peer-reviewed research in Environmental Science & Technology reports liquid crystal monomers from consumer displays in the brains of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and finless porpoises.
- Analysis of tissue samples collected in the South China Sea from 2007 to 2021 found LCMs in blubber, muscle and brain, indicating the chemicals can cross the blood–brain barrier.
- Laboratory tests on cultured dolphin cells showed several common LCMs altered gene activity linked to DNA repair and cell division, prompting toxicological concern.
- Chemical fingerprinting suggests most detected LCMs originated from television and computer screens, with smaller contributions from smartphones.
- Researchers and conservation groups urge tighter e-waste controls and improved disposal practices, noting many LCMs persist in older devices, landfills and informal recycling sites.